Easy-to-assemble air pump

ABSTRACT

An easy-to-assemble air pump includes a cylinder, a piston member, a valve seat, and a valve connector. The piston member includes a piston portion and a rod portion integrally formed as a monolithic member. The piston portion is axially movably arranged into the cylinder, and the rod portion is movably coupled to the cylinder for movement with respect thereto. The valve seat is arranged in the cylinder. The valve connector is connected to one end of the cylinder. Thus, the assembly process of the air pump can be simplified and the assembly time can be shortened.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to an air pump and, more particular, to an easy-to-assemble air pump with one-piece piston member.

A conventional portable air pump, such as the air pump disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 410912, which includes a pump body, a one-way valve seat, a piston and a pipe body. An outer edge of one end of the pump body is provided with an external threaded portion to screw a pivot seat, and a recess of the pivoting seat accommodates an end of an inner nozzle head. One end of the piston is provided with a threaded portion to be screwed in a screw hole of the pipe body. When assembling the above air pump, the piston and the pipe body must be screwed together first, and the one-way valve seat is placed on the pump body, and then the pivot seat and the external threaded portion of the pump body is screwed together.

Furthermore, another common portable air pump 90 shown in FIG. 4 includes a metal piston rod 91 movably coupled to a cylinder 92 for movement with respect thereto. One end of the metal piston rod 91 is secured with a piston 93 via a rivet connection, and another end of the metal piston rod 91 is connected with a plastic adaptor 94 used to be pivotally coupled with a handle 95. However, the metal piston rod 91 must be made of metal due to the rivet connection with the piston 93, and needs the plastic adaptor 94 to indirectly pivotally coupled with the handle 95.

The assembly processes of the above portable air pumps are complicated, in which must to add an assembly step for mounting the piston to the pipe body or piston rod, and the metal piston rod 91 cannot directly pivotally coupled with a plastic handle 95 to further need the plastic adaptor 94, resulting in higher production costs.

Thus, a need exists for a novel air pump to mitigate and/or obviate the above disadvantages.

SUMMARY

The invention is defined by the feature of the independent claim. Preferred embodiments are defined by the features of the dependent claims.

An easy-to-assemble air pump according to the present invention includes a cylinder, a piston member, a valve seat, and a valve connector. The piston member includes a piston portion and a rod portion integrally formed as a monolithic member. The piston portion is axially movably arranged into the cylinder, and the rod portion is movably coupled to the cylinder for movement with respect thereto. The valve seat is arranged in the cylinder. The valve connector is connected to one end of the cylinder.

In an embodiment, the cylinder has a first through-hole penetrating a periphery of the cylinder. The valve seat has a second through-hole aligning to the first through-hole. The valve connector has a third through-hole aligning to the second through-hole. A first pin member inserts through the first through-hole, the second through-hole, and the third through-hole.

In an embodiment, the first pin member has a communicating bore interconnected with the cylinder and the valve connector.

In an embodiment, the easy-to-assemble air pump further includes a handle and a second pin member. One end of the cylinder opposite to the valve seat is provided with an end cap. The rod portion has a pivotal end extending out of the end cap and a first pivotal hole provided at the pivotal end. The handle has a second pivotal hole aligning to the first pivotal hole. The second pin member inserts through the first pivotal hole and the second pivotal hole, thereby pivotally connecting the handle to the pivotal end.

In an embodiment, the end cap is threadedly mounted at one end of the cylinder opposite to the valve seat.

In an embodiment, both of the rod portion and the handle are made of plastic material.

In an embodiment, the rod portion is hollow and has a thickness greater than 0.6 mm.

In an embodiment, the piston portion has a first outer diameter, and the rod portion further has a second outer diameter. The ratio of the second outer diameter to the first outer diameter is greater than 0.5.

The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are cross-section views of an easy-to-assemble air pump of a embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is another cross-section view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of a prior art portable air pump.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-3 show an easy-to-assemble air pump of a embodiment according to the present invention. The easy-to-assemble air pump includes a cylinder 10, a piston member 20, a valve seat 30, a valve connector 40, a first pin member 50, a handle 60, and a second pin member 70.

The cylinder 10 has a first through-hole 11 penetrating a periphery of the cylinder 10, and an end cap 12 threadedly mounted at one end of the cylinder 10 opposite to the valve seat 30.

The piston member 20 includes a piston portion 21 and a rod portion 22 integrally formed as a monolithic member. The piston portion 21 is axially movably arranged into the cylinder 10. The rod portion 22 is movably coupled to the cylinder 10 for movement with respect thereto and extends out of the cylinder 10. The rod portion 22 has a pivotal end 221 extending out of the end cap 12 and a first pivotal hole 222 provided at the pivotal end 221. Further, the rod portion 22 is hollow and has a thickness T22 greater than 0.6 mm.

Furthermore, the piston portion 21 has a first outer diameter D21, and the rod portion 22 further has a second outer diameter D22. The ratio of the second outer diameter D22 to the first outer diameter D21 is greater than 0.5.

The valve seat 30 is arranged in the cylinder 10 and has a second through-hole 31 aligning to the first through-hole 11. The valve connector 40 is connected to one end of the cylinder 10 and has a third through-hole 41 aligning to the second through-hole 31. The first pin member 50 inserts through the first through-hole 11, the second through-hole 31, and the third through-hole 41. The first pin member 50 has a communicating bore 51 interconnected with the cylinder 10 and the valve connector 40, so that the air compressed by the piston portion 21 in the cylinder 10 can pass through the valve seat 30 and the valve connector 40 to enter an inflatable object connected to the valve connector 40.

The handle 60 has a second pivotal hole 61 aligning to the first pivotal hole 222. The second pin member 70 inserts through the first pivotal hole 222 and the second pivotal hole 61, thereby pivotally connecting the handle 60 to the pivotal end 221. Further, both of the rod portion 22 and the handle 60 are made of plastic material to cause the handle 60 able to be directly pivotally connected to the rod portion 22 without any dissimilar material adaptor.

In summary, the easy-to-assemble air pump of this embodiment has the piston portion 21 and the rod portion 22 integrally formed as a monolithic member, so that the assembly step of the piston member 20 can be simply omitted during the process of assembling the air pump. There is no need to screw the piston and the pipe body like a conventional pump, which simplifies the assembly process of the air pump. In addition, when assembling the air pump of this embodiment, it is only necessary to install the valve seat 30 and the valve connector 40 on one end of the cylinder 10 respectively, and use the first pin member 50 to insert through the first through-hole 11 of the cylinder 10, the second through-hole 31 of the valve seat 30, and the third through-hole 41 of the valve connector 40 to finish the assembly process quickly, which greatly shortens the assembly time and reduces the production cost.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible without departing from the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims. 

1. An easy-to-assemble air pump comprising: a cylinder; a piston member including a piston portion and a rod portion integrally formed as a monolithic member, wherein the piston portion is axially movably arranged into the cylinder, and wherein the rod portion is movably coupled to the cylinder for movement with respect thereto; a valve seat arranged in the cylinder; and a valve connector connected to one end of the cylinder.
 2. The easy-to-assemble air pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cylinder has a first through-hole penetrating a periphery of the cylinder, wherein the valve seat has a second through-hole aligning to the first through-hole, wherein the valve connector has a third through-hole aligning to the second through-hole, and wherein a first pin member inserts through the first through-hole, the second through-hole, and the third through-hole.
 3. The easy-to-assemble air pump as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first pin member has a communicating bore interconnected with the cylinder and the valve connector.
 4. The easy-to-assemble air pump as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: a handle and a second pin member, wherein one end of the cylinder opposite to the valve seat is provided with an end cap, wherein the rod portion has a pivotal end extending out of the end cap and a first pivotal hole provided at the pivotal end, wherein the handle has a second pivotal hole aligning to the first pivotal hole, and wherein the second pin member inserts through the first pivotal hole and the second pivotal hole, thereby pivotally connecting the handle to the pivotal end.
 5. The easy-to-assemble air pump as claimed in claim 4, wherein the end cap is threadedly mounted at one end of the cylinder opposite to the valve seat.
 6. The easy-to-assemble air pump as claimed in claim 4, wherein both of the rod portion and the handle are made of plastic material.
 7. The easy-to-assemble air pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rod portion is hollow and has a thickness greater than 0.6 mm.
 8. The easy-to-assemble air pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the piston portion has a first outer diameter, wherein the rod portion further has a second outer diameter, and wherein the ratio of the second outer diameter to the first outer diameter is greater than 0.5. 